John 12:20-30
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Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast.
John
Reference back to
The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?
Thoughts about the Greeks:
Greeks were God-fearers
Notice the preceding verse: “the whole world has gone after Him”
These Greeks could very well represent the “whole world”
Most likely PROSELYTES who were converts to Judaism. Judaism was appealing to the Greeks.
Their coming was symbolic to the worship of Christ.
For us us shows we don’t have to be brought up in tradition and rituals to be able to come to Jesus.
Although it is not shown here, the other Gospels show Jesus clearing out the temple: ; ; .
He quotes in the other Gospel accounts:
these I will bring to my holy mountain
and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices
will be accepted on my altar;
for my house will be called
a house of prayer for all nations.”
The emphasis of “a house of prayer for all nations” is indirectly emphasized in John’s gospel with the mentioning of the Greeks.
Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the Lord.
Perhaps the Greeks are encouraged by hearing these words. This is consistent with one of John’s major themes that Jesus is SAVIOR of THE WORLD:
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
John 3
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”
For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
And remember that John also has Jesus emphasizing that there were going to be sheep not of this pin:
I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
John 10:16
He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.
John
They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.”
What an honor the Greeks paid to Christ: That they desired to meet Jesus!
Those that wish to seek Jesus must do so.
The Greeks took into consideration the relationship they had with Philip. This teaches us that we should always strive to keep our relationships fresh and updated!
It is good to know those who know the Lord!
“Sir, we would like to see Jesus”
The Greeks were respectful because of Philip’s relationship to Jesus. Are others respectful to you because of your relationship with Jesus?
Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.
As ministers of the gospel, two are always better than one! Here, we see that Philip and Andrew are practicing the principle Jesus taught in :
“Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.
Matth
Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom,
1 Corinthians
Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
Shouldn’t this be, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be crucified?” Jesus saw beyond the cross. He saw the GLORY that was coming!
Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?”
Hebrews 12
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
This is the 4th of nine references to Jesus time and hour. The Glory of God is an important theme in John’s Gospel.
When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.
And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.
After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
“Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.
I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
John 17:
I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one:
“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
John 17:24
What is The HOUR? calls it the “appointed time.”
He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’ ”
Matthew 26:18
Son of Man is used in connection with Jesus speaking of Himself. It is used most commonly in connection with Himself or in connection with His coming in glory.
Jesus being glorified is Him becoming transparent so the Glory of God can be revealed through Him. God’s glory can be seen through Jesus. It comes through death.
I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
It bece
Jesus descended from heave to earth to ascend to the cross to accomplish our redemption.
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
Think about this picture of what Jesus was saying: He was to be come like the seed. Fall to the ground, lifeless, to a form of which others had to carry Him away, place Him in a tomb in the earth, like a seed planted by a gardner, to be able to spring up to life!
Jesus descended from heaven to
One dying Christ produces thousands of living Christians, and He becomes their ROOT.
Salvation for all mankind, forever, comes from this SEED.
The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
What does it mean to hate your life?
Several places in Scripture refer to the extreme scenario:
Jacob lay with Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.
When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
If a man has two wives, and he loves one but not the other, and both bear him sons but the firstborn is the son of the wife he does not love,
Deuteronomy
“Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;
Luk
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.
Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
Faith in Jesus involves dying to this world order:
Mark 8:
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.
Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.
Jesus is telling us that without repentance from sin and particularly sin that overvalues and desires applause from the world, there cannot be salvation.
is a bit of prophecy for the next verse in our study:
Hosea 6:2
After two days he will revive us;
on the third day he will restore us,
that we may live in his presence.
Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
Living under the Lordship of Christ means to follow Him in obedience. We choose to serve and follow Him.
Can you serve without following?
We have the guaranteed presence of Christ and the promise of being Honored by the Father.
The Greeks desired to see Jesus. Jesus is saying that one must do more than desire to see Him, one must SERVE Him.
"He did not come into the world to be a show for us to gaze at, but a King to be ruled by!” — Matthew Henry
Are you following Jesus and serving Him?
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Colossians 3:
God is the rewarder Himself!
What happened to the Greeks? We don’t know.
“Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.
Why do you think Jesus’ heart was troubled? Was Jesus worried about what He was facing or perhaps what the disciples would be facing
Is this one of the times mentioned in ?
During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.
It definitely shows the humanity of Jesus.
Jesus recognizes the glory on the other side. He knows He could ask God to save Him and it would be done. He instead affirms what He is called to do. Jesus was determined to do the will of God no matter what the costs.
Father, glorify your name!”
Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.”
“Father, glorify your name.” A personal testimony.
The voice from heaven says, “I have glorified it.” When did that happen? It happened at the baptism and the transfiguration.
Notice that God answers the prayer of Jesus:
God hears it
God acknowledges it
God responds to it
The name of God has been glorified and we have the blessed assurance that it will be glorified again!
The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
This shows that:
it was real
God speaks twice and the people miss it
How often does God speak to us and we miss it?
Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine.
How and why could Jesus say this?